SUV Review: 2013 Ford Explorer Sport

2013 Ford Explorer Sport

PHOTO: Handout, Ford

2013 Ford Explorer Sport

PHOTO: Handout, Ford

By David Booth, Postmedia News

Originally published: March 7, 2013

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It’s no secret that Ford covets Toyota’s position in the automotive world. Of course, any auto company CEO would like to brag that he heads the most successful automobile manufacturer on the planet (Toyota recently regained its No. 1 sales position from General Motors.) But it goes beyond just numbers. It sometimes seems that Ford’s emulation of the Japanese giant goes beyond the merely physical to the philosophical.

Ford, like Toyota, is very much the quintessential mainstream automaker. None of its cars stand out in any one category. The company’s designs (with the possible exception of the new Fusion), while competent and usually stylish, are still often middle-of-the-road. Safety is touted as the company’s paramount concern and both use the most mainstream, albeit successful, of marketing campaigns.

Of course, the other thing that joins the two auto giants is their promotion of fuel economy, Toyota being the king of the hybrid with Ford chasing its coattails and offering its range of EcoBoost engines as a sweetener.

The only problem for Ford is that, like Hyundai, it has been caught, ahem, exaggerating its fuel economy. Consumer Reports magazine, as well as this newspaper, have already lamented the discrepancy between Ford’s official figures for the C-Max Hybrid (officially 4.0/4.1 litres per 100 kilometres city/hwy here in Canada) and its real-world consumption.

Depending on your epistemological bent — whether you’re the glass-half-full or glass-half-empty philosopher — the Explorer Sport may, or may not, improve that image. On my normal test route — Toronto to Ottawa with the cruise control set on a steady 120 kilometres an hour — my tester averaged 10.2 L/100 km. I would not call that exemplary — an Audi A6 with AWD and a supercharged V6 with approximately the same horsepower as the Explorer is good for 7.6. But it is relatively close to Ford’s claim of 8.8 L/100 km and a lot closer than the C-Max’s actual figures are to its claimed fuel economy.

My overall consumption figure read 14.2 L/100 km, a little further off Ford’s official 11.2 L/100 claim. But, in this case, the Sport was relentlessly abused, spending three days flogging through snow-covered Northern Quebec and then pushed hard down the 401 to escape said Arctic-like climes.

In the end, the glass is just filled to its mid-level mark, neither full nor empty. I’m not sure that one could claim that the Sport’s turbocharged 3.5L EcoBoost V6 is the salvation to our wanton profligacy, but then neither is the embarrassment of consumption that the C-Max Hybrid was on the highway.

What it does do — along with other tweaks — is greatly improve the Explorer. For one thing, thanks to its turbocharger-infused horsepower (365 in all) the Sport accelerates with something approaching élan. No, it’s not a sports car. But response to throttle input is strong, passing is confident and the throttle response is surprisingly linear.

And because of the turbocharger’s improved torque — a maximum of 350 pound-feet available as low as 3,500 rpm — the V6 doesn’t have to work as hard as its naturally aspirated counterpart to move the more-than two-tonne Explorer. Not only is the Sport quicker than its lesser sibling, but it’s also far more relaxed. That said, the Sport’s towing capacity — 2,268 kilograms — is not improved over the 3.5L-powered base model (though it is not nearly as restricted as the much maligned 2.0L EcoBoost version, which is rated to tow only 907 kg).

The Sport’s handling is also much improved. Thanks to stiffer suspension and larger, lightly lower profile tires, there is less body roll than previously. The Sport also comes with all-wheel-drive as standard equipment, its torque distribution tweaked so as much as 50% of the 3.5L’s power goes to the rear wheels, helping balance the big SUV a bit better. The ride is somewhat compromised, but, for many, it will be a worthwhile tradeoff as previous Explorers I’ve tested handled like rhinos on roller blades.

There are also some improvements inside, the most notable being that this latest version of MyFord doesn’t require a computer science degree to navigate. Oh, there’s a still a few hidden submenus, but I could find the fuel economy reset function and did manage to use the seat warmers, so there has been some progress. Ford has taken a pounding from consumers for its quirky infotainment system; I think it’s been listening. Other notable touches are a convenient 110-volt power outlet and power-adjustable brake and throttle pedals so even the short of inseam can enjoy the big SUV.

All is not perfect with the Explorer Sport, though. The engine is powerful, but it still lacks personality. Noise, vibration and harshness are way down from earlier versions, but it can still be a little gruff at low speeds. And access to the third row of seats — Ford, like many other manufacturers, passes its CUV off as a legitimate minivan alternative — is best reserved for teenagers limber enough for a full plié; I couldn’t possibly have found my way back there even if searching for a winning lotto ticket.

Nonetheless, this is an Explorer much improved. Previously, I would have ranked the Explorer in the bottom third of full-sized crossovers, its one redeeming quality its comely visage. Well, it’s still easy on the eyes, but now drives significantly better and no longer hobbled by a cranky MyFord system. Just one thing though: Don’t buy the Explorer Sport because you think EcoBoost technology is so much more fuel-efficient than other alternatives. Buy it because it performs so well and it won’t kill you at the pumps. Just don’t be fooled into thinking that turbocharging smaller engines is the salvation to our emissions and fuel consumption woes.